A photo from open sources
The Great Comet Panstarrs (PANSTARRS, or C / 2011 L4) approached the earth. In March, she could be seen in the sky with the naked eye. And her brightest sister – comet ISON – will appear near our planet in the fall. What does it mean “invasion”?
Signs in the sky
Since ancient times, the appearance in the sky of strange wandering stars – comets – excited the imagination of people. Gradually became it is clear that many of them appear near the Earth periodically. For example, the famous comet Halley, arriving to our planet from the abyss of space once every 75-76 years. The last arrival of this comet in 1986 heralded a terrible event: she appeared before Chernobyl disaster. Yes, and her previous appearance in 1910 as if hinted at the coming wars and revolutions … Therefore, the visit two very bright, noticeable comets this year attracted attention not just astronomers. Rumors of these celestial guests have already spread: not just like that, they say, they have chosen our planet … But maybe not Worry ahead of time? After all, someone “read” in Mayan calendar about the end of the world, although it was just the end one of the huge life cycles … But what are new comets?
Unpredictable Panstarrs
Discovered in June 2011, Comet Panstarrs was the first of two named comets that were as close as possible distance from the earth. Such an approximation and size Panstarrs made its visible in the western sky and for telescopes.
Like most comets, Panstarrs is unpredictable. How is she behave closer to the Sun for a little astronomical concepts, no one can say. Researchers say a comet could fall apart into pieces under exposure to its heat. But perhaps it will continue. In such case it will shine like the brightest star. Panstarrs consists of icy gases and surrounded by a layer of cosmic dust from the nebula about 4.5 billion years old. Astronomers dream of somehow get a “piece of the comet” or even ever land on her. After all, celestial bodies of this age provide an opportunity answer many questions about the origin of the entire universe, stars and planets.
The brightest
But Panstarrs will not be the brightest comet in the sky in 2013 year. Already in November of this year, the inhabitants of the Earth will see a very large comet ISON, which will be so bright that it eclipses the radiance The moon.
Comet ISON (C / 2012 S1) was discovered by Russian Artem Novichonok and Belarusian Vitaly Nevsky September 21, 2012 at the observatory near Kislovodsk. These astronomers gave the comet the name ISON (International Scientific Optical Network) – by the name of the computer network for remote control of telescopes to which is connected and Kislovodsk observatory. Thanks to this network, all astronomers receive images of the starry sky from remote telescopes, including from other countries.
Comet ISON, like Panstarrs, will fly from the Oort Cloud. Such the name is a giant spherical region in space, consisting of trillions of ice blocks. A sphere surrounds the entire solar system. The radius of the Oort Cloud is huge – about one light year, i.e. a quarter of the way to the nearest star. According to astronomers, the dangers for Earth, comet ISON does not represent. After all, the distance from her to Earth will be about 62 million kilometers, which is comparable to distance from Earth to Venus.
Currently, ISON is rapidly approaching the center of the Solar system. She has already “grown” a large tail, which, as rendezvous with the Sun will become brighter and longer. With a naked eye, the comet can be observed in the North and Southern Hemispheres from November 2013 to January 2014. Closest the heavenly wanderer will approach the Earth on December 26-29, 2013. IN early October 2013, it will cross the orbit of Mars, and it is already possible will observe through binoculars, and on November 29 a comet will fly by minimum distance from the surface of the Sun – 1.1 million kilometers. At this moment, the brightness of the comet will be the highest and may exceed the intensity of the full moon’s radiance.
Going forever into the depths of space, so to speak, goodbye, Comet ISON will present another surprise. January 14-15, 2014 Earth will go through the remnants of the comet’s tail, and all of us, inhabitants planets, see meteor shower. And then, looking at these “falling stars “, do not forget to make the most secret desires. They sure to be fulfilled!
Alessandro LANZI
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